Books: Artifacts and Fancies

THE WAY OUR PEOPLE LIVED: An Intimate American History — W. E. Woodward—Dutfon ($3.95).

A TREASURY OF AMERICAN FOLKLORE—Edited by B. A. Botkin—Crown ($3).

These two books are encyclopedias of U.S. folklore. Author Woodward is chiefly concerned with the historical artifacts, Editor Botkin with the artifancies, of U.S. life.

William E. Woodward is the man who coined the word "debunk." In 1923, when he was a Hearst promotion manager, he used the word in a best-selling first novel called Bunk. He followed it up with two debunking biographies: George Washing ton and Meet General...